China’s artificial islands in before-and-after photos

China has landed a test flight on a recently built airfield on artificial islands in the South China Sea, turning up the temperature in a long-simmering dispute over Beijing’s ambitions in the region.

Since at least 2013, China has been carrying out a project to build artificial islands and military bases in those waters, on a huge scale and a fast pace. By June, China had constructed or reclaimed 2,900 acres of land, The Wall Street Journal reported; three months earlier, the figure stood at 2,000 acres.

The areas of development are hundreds of miles off China’s coast, in what the U.S. considers international waters. But Beijing has laid claim to almost all of the South China Sea, despite opposition from countries like the Philippines.

International observers have been tracking Beijing’s empire-building in those waters. For a look at the scope of China’s land reclamation, and a sense of its ambitions, check out these images, released late last year.

Getty Images

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This shows a view of the runway under construction on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands, where dredgers began work in August 2014, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

In September, construction wrapped on the runway, IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly reported. The reclaimed land is China’s most important base in those waters, and the runway would allow Chinese military to conduct more air patrols meant to enforce its territorial ambitions.

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

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This before-and-after image shows the scale of China’s land reclamation in another part of the Spratlys, Johnson South Reef.

The island has been built on a submerged reef in the Union Banks, the AMTI says. The reef itself was only 7.2 square kilometers; it has been expanded to add another 100,000 square meters.

One of the U.S.’s objections to China’s claims in the South China Sea is that in some cases, they are based on reefs that used to be underwater at high tide. That undermines any territorial claims, Washington has said.

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

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China began developing Gaven Reef, shown above, in March 2014, taking it from a small garrison to platform measuring 300 meters by 250 meters, the ATMI says. Ships can dock at the newly built platform, and there are sites for gun emplacements. All in all, about 114,000 square meters of land is thought to have been created by China’s dredgers.

Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative

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China isn’t the only nation getting busy in the Spratly Islands. Taiwan is sprucing up its settlement on Itu Aba, which was the biggest piece of land in the archipelago until Beijing began piling up the earthworks. It’s still the only one with a natural supply of fresh water.

Taiwan is thought to be spending as much as $100 million to spruce up its runway and port on Itu Aba, which should allow it to step up its airplane and ship facilities. China has had a permanent base on the land feature for almost 60 years, and is seen as controlled by Beijing, according to AMTI.

Reuters

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Historically, China hasn't had a controlling presence in the South China Sea, which contrasts with its current determined efforts to change that situation. At issue is a vast expanse of sea, home to an international waterway key to trillions of dollars in trade — an important prize.

By sending the Navy destroyer USS Lassen (shown above) within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese-controlled areas of the Spratly Islands, the U.S. underlined its right to “freedom of navigation” in the area and sent a challenge to Beijing. International agreements say nations may lay claim to waters within 12 maritime miles of their coastline.

Reuters

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Historically, China hasn't had a controlling presence in the South China Sea, which contrasts with its current determined efforts to change that situation. At issue is a vast expanse of sea, home to an international waterway key to trillions of dollars in trade — an important prize.

By sending the Navy destroyer USS Lassen (shown above) within 12 nautical miles of the Chinese-controlled areas of the Spratly Islands, the U.S. underlined its right to “freedom of navigation” in the area and sent a challenge to Beijing. International agreements say nations may lay claim to waters within 12 maritime miles of their coastline.

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